J&K combines three incredibly different worlds into one state. Hindu Jammu, the state's major railhead, is a busy hub for domestic pilgrims. Muslim Kashmir is India's Switzerland, attracting hoards of local tourists seeking cool summer air, alpine scenery and Srinagar’s romantic houseboat accommodation. For most foreigners, J&K’s greatest attraction is the Himalayan land of Ladakh, whose disarmingly friendly, ethno-linguistically Tibetan people are predominantly Buddhist. Their timeless monasteries are set between arid canyons and soaring peaks with emerald-green villages nestled photogenically in highland deserts.
While relatively calm of late, beware that Kashmir is politically volatile and arguments over its status caused three 20th-century wars. Ladakh is altogether different, a meditatively calm world, where the main concern is giving yourself ample time for high-altitude acclimatisation. Note that Ladakh is inaccessible by road outside the summer season.
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